Breaking: ENDA Will Get Initial Senate Vote Monday

After a week of teasing out information, Harry Reid has finally announced that the U.S. Senate will hold its initial vote on ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, on Monday. The Senate Majority Leader, who supports the legislation, filed a cloture motion today. Senate rules demand a 72-hour waiting period, hence the Monday vote.

LOOK: What Somebody Needs To Tell John McCain About ENDA

“Reid made the announcement on the Senate floor with little fanfare before he moved on to other business and adjourned the Senate until Monday at 2 pm,” the Washington Blade reports.

Faiz Shakir, a Reid spokesperson, estimated the cloture vote on ENDA will take place around 5:45 on Monday and a final vote will take place sometime on Wednesday.

But are there the required 60 votes to pass the bill onto the full Senate, and 60 votes to pass the bill?

“Confidence persists there are at least 60 votes in the Senate to invoke cloture on ENDA,” the Blade insists. “All 55 members of the Senate Democratic caucus support ENDA, and there are two Republican original co-sponsors: Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.). Assuming the two Republicans who voted in committee for ENDA, Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), vote for cloture as well, only one more vote is required to move forward with ENDA.”

“Other Republicans seen as possible ‘yes’ votes on ENDA are Sens. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). However, Flake this week told the Blade he’s voting ‘no’ because of the transgender protections in the current version of the bill.”

Portman, who has a gay son, is the most-likely candidate to vote ‘yes.’

Earlier this week, three Democratic Senators all announced support for ENDA, giving the Democrats a clean sweep in the Senate.

 
Image via Harry Reid

Related:

John McCain: ENDA Could Lead To ‘Busing’ And ‘Reverse Discrimination’

FRC Literally Prays To God To Kill ENDA And Keep LGBT People From ‘Inappropriate Occupations’

Cindy McCain Signs HRC Petition Asking Senator John McCain To Support ENDA